The Definition of Insanity
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Did I ever tell you what the definition of Insanity is? Insanity, is doing the exact same thing, over and over, expecting that something is going to change. That. Is. Crazy. The first time somebody told me that, I dunno, I thought they were messing with me so, boom, I shot him. The thing is-he was right. This a tale of insanity. Of love and loss. Of the Hunter. NarutoxCitraxLiza!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlemen, I've got some good news for ya'll! I'm alive! I've been better given all the problems I've been going through, but I'm still breathing. Still kicking. I've been on a Mass Effect craze as of late as I'm sure you all noticed; its just my way of coping with life atm. Not only has my stupid heart failed on me again, but I've been suffering through the loss of several family members. Add to that the state of my new job and the school bills that keep racking up, and I'm in a bit of a tight spot at the moment. Yet here I am, fighting this damned depression, not giving into despair. To all my readers/reviewers who have encourage me in this time, I say this:**

**Thank you all for you support, and here's hoping I make it through the rough road ahead of me! *Raises glass in a toast* Long live Fanfiction! And in case my health goes south...Love ya'll! Expect an update for Bring Down the Sky to be coming soon! Remember, I own nothing! And prepare for a shocker! And of course, a fair bit of humor! But in this chapter there is a great deal of action-not to mention a shocking revelation for poor Naruto regarding what's happened to him. That may just send our favorite blond over the edge...**

**ALSO! My computer is down! BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH! I literally woke up this morning and it wouldn't work-whereas it was just FINE LAST NIGHT!? Anywho, I'm writing this from my stepdad's computer, so updates might be sporadic for a bit! Grrrrr...so angry right now! But hey, this is a nice looooong chapter, and we cover a lot of ground here! !**

**Well...here ya go! =D Enjoy the humor! And we get to see some old fan favorites this chapter! One of which I'm sure you'll recognize...AND FAIR WARNING! An awful lot of nastly violence happens in this chapter! ITS ANOTHER LONG ONE! Hope you're ready for it! And remember, I own nothing!**

**...The first, to the extent of my knowledge, Naruto x Far Cry 3 crossover! Enjoy!**

_"Did I ever tell you what the definition of Insanity is? Insanity, is doing the exact same fucking thing, over and over, and OVER again, expecting that shit is going to change. That. Is. Crazy. The first time somebody told me that, I dunno, I thought they were bullshitting me, so, boom, I shot him. The thing is... he was right. And then I started seeing everywhere I fucking looked, everywhere I looked all these fucking pricks, everywhere I looked, doing the exact same fucking thing... over and over and over and over again thinking, 'This time is gonna be different. No, no, no please... This time is gonna be different.'_

_ Isn't that fucked, man? But then again, you should know. You're the craziest motherfucker I've ever met."_

_~Vaas._

**The Definition of Insanity**

The Rook Islands are a place of beauty.

All tropical coasts and dense jungles, miles of sprawling plains and mountains. Lucsious and vibrant, ever inch of it wild and untamed. Beyond lies and endless expanse of ocean that goes on as far as the eye can see. It is a vast, uncharted and relatively untouched realm without law; one where nature rules and little else.

But this beauty can deceive.

Beneath that veneer of calm and placcid serenity, savagery lurks. These islands are home to Hoyt Volker and his privateers. Pirates and slavers both. Then there are the _Rakyat,_ the people of the island and their warrior goddess. Citra. Lives are won and lost here everday, a neverending, bloody battle raging for supremacy of the island. Any intrepid traveller caught between the two is either killed, sold into slavery-or worse. Bullets and blood flow freely here like water, lives are separated and severed like wheat to chaff. This place is home to nothing but death and despair.

It is also home to something else. A force that sides with neither, yet despises them both in equal measure. Some say he is a man. Others, a ghost. His hair is like golden fire and bright blue eyes that pierce you like an angry, jagged sapphire from the mines. No one knows this eldritch force. Only the title given to him. He aids few, and holds allegiance to none.

They call him the Hunter.

* * *

><p>The jungle was deceptively peaceful sometimes. Especially at night. However during the day, every creature is awake, bushes rustling, men yelling, animals screeching all in defiance of the chaos raging around them. It was today that was so misleadingly quiet in a small clearing just outside a pirate camp-you couldn't even hear the creatures of the night. There was complete silence in the animal kingdom. All save one, the sound of its dark paws pushing silently against the foliage of the forest floor. A panther, large and in the prime of its light, its golden eyes shining like twin gems in the twilight.<p>

It is the lord of this kingdom.

No other beast save the plains-roaming tiger can match it in terms of sheer speed or raw ferocity, no prey can escape its penetrating gaze. Tonight the lord is hungry. Tonight it will feast.

Tonight, it hunts.

Now, it spies its next meal. Not the deer or tapir it usually favors, but something larger. A man. His skin is tanned and kissed by years in the sun, his body, clad in dark furs, those of its own kind, tall and strong. He is kneeling at the edge of a small watering hole, dipping something down into the water, making slow, rhythmic movements with both his arms. The lord of the jungle scents blood, the blood of the man. He is wounded? Irrelevant. There is only the hunger. Those eerie eyes narrow, its entire body coiling, tensing in preparation for one monumental effort-

"I wouldn't do that, friend." the man speaks, not even deigning to turn around. His voice is low and rough, a slow moving avalanche. "Unless yo want to end up like your friends." A scarred hand waves absently clear in its dismissal. "Go on now. Shoo. I'm not hungry and I don't have time to deal with you."

The panther growls quietly in frustration. Considers retreating. But no, the hunger is too great. It pounces!

But the man is faster than it - so fast, it doesn't even see him move. He seems to flow like water, gone before the jungle cat can complete its lunge. A hand crashes into its ribcage like an angry buffalo, sending the lord of the jungle flying out of its lunge with a pained yowl, body crashing to the ground in a heap. He's on it before it can rise, large knuckles locking around its throat and slamming it down to the ground. Its up again in an instant, snarling despite the pain that ebbs and flows like the tides in its ribcage.

Across from it, the man rose, his hand rising loosely. They're still stained with blood. Not his blood. The blood of his victims. Up close he's large, easily topping six feet. His whiskered face is pinched in slight aggravation but he makes no move to strike. He seems almost amused.

"Aaaah," he sighed softly. "Why didn't you listen? _Baka."_

The Lord of the Jungle lunged yet again, snarling. A mudbrown boot cracks out like lightning, snapping a rib and flinging the great lord down to the forest floor once more. With a wild whoop the Hunter bounded after it, tackling it to the ground in a heap. Leaves fly as they thrash on the floor, man and beast, each seeking the advantage-dominance-over the other.

"See," he began slowly, "This is why I prefer hunting animals. You're just so damn predictable, ya know?" The panther twitched spasmodically in his grasp, fangs baring, its claws scrabbling for his throat. It was unused to the idea of its prey fighting back; much less its ferocity being matched. This man did more than that-he took its hunger and overwhelmed it with all his own. Held it down as if it were no more than a hapless cub. The cold iron of a macehete flashed in the gloom. Naked steel pressed against his throat.

"Humans," the words came out in a grunt as he wrestled with the jungle beast, "They run and they scream, and they squeal. Beg for mercy. But animals? Guys like you? No, they'll go an' fight to their last breath. I can respect that. See, I've killled so many people, animals, others things, whatever the fuck, that I've lost fucking count." he laughed as the panther swiped at him, continuing this strange, one-sided conversation. "I know, I know I can never come back from this. I'm a monster. I can feel the anger inside me. Yet somewhere inside me, I'm still more than that. Better than that...but I don't want to be. I'm like you. I'll fight to the end. Its been that way ever since I found myself here.

But hey, this is how its gotta end, right?" his hands tightened-one arm falling away to reach toward its neck. "Nothing personal, 'ttebayo. Its your or me. Personally? I prefer me. The panther squirms and yowls and spits at him, trying desperately to get away from that nasty-looking weapon now pressing to its throat. Too late. Hot blood spilled out onto the forest floor. Its life trickles away. Golden eyes deaden. There is no gun, no final bullet to finish it off. He simply lets it bleed, and then, he begins to gather its hide and meat. Bullets make things...messy.

The Hunter doesn't like guns.

They are crude, violent, noisy, loud. Not the tools of a ninja, nor those of a true warrior, like himself. And yet they make almost all his skills meaningless on this god-forsaken island. Almost, but not all. He's faster than most. Stronger, enough to survive the pain those weapons bring. But the bullets still hurt him. What's the point in being a shinobi if some two bit asshole with a gun can kill him? He's got the scars to prove it. That first time when the little shit Hoyt and his men surprised him, hours after he found himself here.

But there was one he tolerated. If only sightly. He'd drank with him a couple of times, even shot a few people, if only out of sheer boredom-

_Click._

"Well, well, weeeeeeeelll," a familiar voice drawled in his ar. "Look who the fucking cat dragged in."

Speak of the devil!

The Hunter didn't bother to turn, despite the fact that a loaded pistol was now pressed to the back of his head. He merely scowled. A swirl of leaves, and he was gone, the pistol pointing at empty air. Another motion of those dead leaves and the tables turned. Now it was his attacker who found himself staring at the business end of a death weapon, the angry steel of the man's bloody machete pressing painfully into his adam's apple, just a few feet behind. He was staring at man with a mohawk and a red tank. An ugly cut marred the side of his head There was only one man he knew with those features. "Think you're funny, do you?"

A snigger. "A little bit, yeah."

_"Vass."_

"Fuck." the man spat, and the Hunter. Alright, alright, hermano." the pirate raised his arms, reluctantly pointing the gun toward the treetops. "You got me. Again."

"Gun down."

"What, you think I'm gonna shoot your or something?" Incredulity. "C'mon, if I did that I'd be bore-

The blade bit into his neck, drawing blood. Vass swore.

"Shit! Why you gotta be so serious?!"

"Because," The Hunter allowed a touch of annoyance to creep into his tone. "I don't fucking trust you. Not yet."

"Hey, I thought we were friends-

The machete pressed closer.

"Fine, fine, FINE." growling, the pirate tossed his sidearm away, hurling it into the brush. "Happy now?"

"Yes."

The blade moved away from his neck, leaving him to massage tiny cut inflicted there. "Fucking fuck! Man, that's gonna scar!"

"Not my problem. Why are you here?"

"Wasn't looking for you." Vass muttered, still rubbing awkwardly at his bleeding neck. He'd live, the Hunter reasoned. Pity. "Two little fuckers got away from me yesterday." there was a silence and when the man made no move to slice him, he dared to continue. "First one was-fuck, what was it again? Ah!" Those dark, shadowed eyes lit in the gloom. "Brody. Jason Motherfucking Brody. I offed his brother and told him to run. Thing is, I wasn't expecting him to actually get away. Think her name was Liza, something or other...

That earned him a snort.

"Brody? The fuck? What kinda name is that?"

"Better than yours." came the answer, light with rancour. "Anwyay, you seen 'em?"

Just like that, the levity evaporated. There was a terse beat of silence between the two killers. Finally, the former shook his head.

"No."

"And what if you're lying, eh?" Vass challenged. "I know you don't like this whole slaver shit."

"I don't. And I haven't."

"Stop screwing with me, Vaas," The Hunter sneered as he continued, visibly annoyed. "I'm not in the mood for your petulant little games right now and you've kept me long neough" he turned his back on the pirate, to continue skinning his kill once more. "Get out of here...before I decide to kill you, too."

"Bullshit. You kill me, and Hoyt'll be all over you."

"Then I'll fucking kill him, too."

Vaas whistled. "Ooh, Naruto. We becoming a big boy now? You kill a few of my boys, share a few drinks, and suddenly you can say big words like fuck? Eh? To me? To Hoyt? HUH?! TOUGH MAN?!" His voice rose, pitching within anger as he stood and and slammed a hand against a tree, scattering leaves down all arounds him. The Hunter-Naruto-frowned slightly at the mention. He'd let his name slip once when they were drinking together, and Vaas seemed to delight in using it against him ever since. It irked him.

"Vass, don't push me."

_"What was that?"_

Naruto looked down at the smaller man as he glared up at him, his breath coming out in gasps. "Is this how you treat your friends? With no _respect? No dignity?"_ He walked around the dead panther and behind him. His senses too uncaring to do anything but scoff in disdiain, Naruto didn't even pay him any heed. He knew when his friend -strange how he thought of this madman as one- was in one of his moods. This was one of them. Vass wasn't stupid enough to take a swipe at him. Not unless he wanted another scar. The man was a dog chasing a car; he wouldn't know what to do even if he caught one.

"I respect strength and honor." he quipped at last. "You have very little of either."

"Right, because you sure as hell do." the pirate spread his arms, his voice swelling with scorn as he spoke. "Mister neutral, mister personality. Well, we both know that personality didn't save _her,_ now did it?"

Naruto bristled at the mention of that incident. Slowly he rose, turning to look the shorter man in the eye. A lone finger thrust itself into Vass' red shirt. "You shut the fuck up."

Vass snorted.

"Did I ever tell you what the definition of Insanity is?" he asked? "Insanity," an arm raised, emphasising the point. "Is doing the exact same fucking thing, over and over, expecting that shit is going to change. That. Is. Crazy. The first time you told me that, I thought they were bullshitting me, so, boom, I shot you. Remember? The thing is... you were right. And then I started seeing everywhere I fucking looked, everywhere I looked all these fucking pricks, everywhere I looked, doing the exact same fucking thing... over and over and over and over again thinking, 'This time is gonna be different. No, no, no please... This time is gonna be different.'

Isn't that fucked, man?" his head cocked aside, smiling in its madness. "But then again, you should know. You told me. Now I've realized something." he thrust a finger forward, jabbing him in the chin. "You're the craziest motherfucker I've ever met. You're even worse than me. At least I _do_ shit."

Something inside him snapped. The wall he had been forced to build to keep his emotions behind all these years cracked. Just a crack, but it was all the opening they needed. The white-hot hatred exploded through the cracks, splitting the layers of suffering and loathing, sending them surging through his body in a heady rush of hatred, filling his veins with fire. Without a moment's pause, he leapt forward, wrapping an arm around his neck and yanking Vass violently to the floor, raining blows into his ribs with his spare fist. Much to his surprise, he actually managed to overwhelm the younger man. Vaas could usually hold his own in a fight.

Not today.

"SHUT! THE FUCK! UP!

"Fucking make me!"

They went down in a tangle of arms and legs, swinging hard.

Scarred knuckles descended mercilessly down on his friend and Vass dropped with a choked gurgle, his nose bleeding red. Naruto struck him again and again and again, seeing only the red of his anger, of his blood. His eyes were red in the dark as he pummeled his opponent; devoid of logic or reason. Mercifully, his sense finallly came back to him when the mercenary managed to get in a lucky shot of his own, catching him on the jaw in a desperate swing. That was enough to cool the fires of his rage. And turn it to cool, throbbing hate.

He slid his hand down Vaas' shoulder and around his throat, tightening his fingers slightly against it. His breath hit his ear as he spoke, the words little more than a dry hiss. "Next time, you _will_ treat me with respect, or I will fucking end you. And you will not mention her. _Ever._ Do we have an agreement?"

Vass snarled, but he didn't refute him.

"Good." he hauled the man to his feet and thrust him forward. "Now...

"Get!"

There was anothr moment of silence, this one more subdued as Vass crashes back through the undergrowrth, cursing quietly. He'd be back soon enough, given time. This was by no means the worst of their arguement; they'd quarrled far more heatedly over much less in the past. Even so, Naruto didn't take his eyes off him until the sounds of his swears had were long subdued and gone into the distance. His fellow madman was gone at last. He was alone in the jungle with his kill. Finally, he exhaled. It was not a pleasant sound.

"What do we have here...

Something rustled in the brush. "Stop hiding."

"You can come out now."

Well, maybe not entirely alone.

_Liza Snow_ slowly poked her head out of the brush in which she'd been hiding. "How did you know I was there?" the question was quiet. Tentative. They both knew the answer already now, didn't they? He'd known she'd followed him out of his tiny little camp for some time now. Just as she'd stayed, watching while he cleaned the blood of her wounds, the injuries he'd treated, from his hands. That was why he'd been way out here, deep in the jungle. Why he'd been attacked. Why Vass had found him. Lying came easily to him but this hadn't been a complete one-he'd found and rescued Liza in the forest. Not Jason Brody. He couldn't care less about his fate...not that he'd tell her that.

"I could hear you a mile away." he answered, stooping below the panther's carcass, finally stripping it bare and pulling its contents into one of his many pouche. Its meat and skins would be put to better use back at the camp. "I could have sworn I told you not to move in your condition, though."

Almost sheepishly, she stepped out of the bush. He glanced down at her bandaged stomach in reproach. "Come. We're leaving." he turned without a word, forcing her to stumble after him. Her elbow brushed his gently in passing, earning a glance.

"Why didn't you turn me in?"

"Must've been your pretty face." he quipped, peeling a branch out of his path. She ducked under him, following in his shadow.

"Seriously?"

Naruto laughed at the young woman as they walked, considering his answer. It would have been so easy to reveal her prescence in the bushes. But he hadn't. He wondered why. He'd never taken a particular interest in the affairs of Vass or Hoyt until now; but when he'd found her in the forest, wounded and bleeding, he hadn't been able to ignore her. There was still a tiny part of him that cared inside, despite Vass' proclamation of his insanity. And for the life of him, he couldn't bear to see this one die. Not like her. Not like the woman he'd come here with all those years ago. She'd been his sole companion from that time, and for all his power, all the might he carried, he hadn't been able to protect her.

Maybe he saw something in Liza that reminded him of his lost love. Perhaps he hoped that in helping her, he could redeem himself.

"I guess

What was the definition of insanity, you asked? Vass thought he knew it. But he didn't. Uzumaki Naruto had seen it in the mirror every day for the last three years. It wore his face.

_It was him._

**A/N: And there we go! Naruto and Vass have a strange sort of friendship; they've both killed and they're EACH off their rocker...though Naruto is admittedly a little more sane in this story than our favorite psycopath. I'm not quite sure what the pairings will be by the end. NarutoxCitra? We know SHE'S all kinds of crazy if you chose her ending, eh? I'll have to do something about that. Still if ya'll have any ideas for the pairing, feel free to toss them at me.**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review...Would You Kindly? Unless you'd like to take it up with Vass? I know I wouldn't! And of course, enjoy the preview!**

**(Preview)**

_"You may speak with her."_

_Naruto risked a glower at Dennis, then turned his attention to Citra in the distance for a long moment, expaseration showing on his face. He was painfully aware of the guns of her guards, trained on him and ready to fire. It would be child's play to use substitution and escape the many bullets they could bring to bear on him; but he wasn't here for violence. He was here to talk. To speak with her, the leader of the Rakyat. It galled him to admit it, but he couldn't very well take on an island alone or by himself. He needed help. Help only she could provide._

_"I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. "Maybe I really **am** insane."_

_And he stepped forward._

**R&R!**


	2. Native

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlemen, I've got some good news for ya'll! I'm alive! I've been better given all the problems I've been going through, but I'm still breathing. Still kicking. I've been on a Mass Effect craze as of late as I'm sure you all noticed; its just my way of coping with life atm. Not only has my stupid heart failed on me again, but I've been suffering through the loss of several family members. Add to that the state of my new job and the school bills that keep racking up, and I'm in a bit of a tight spot at the moment. Yet here I am, fighting this damned depression, not giving into despair. To all my readers/reviewers who have encourage me in this time, I say this:**

**Thank you all for you support, and here's hoping I make it through the rough road ahead of me! *Raises glass in a toast* Long live Fanfiction! And in case my health goes south...Love ya'll! Expect an update for Bring Down the Sky to be coming soon! Remember, I own nothing! And prepare for a shocker! And of course, a fair bit of humor! But in this chapter there is a great deal of action-not to mention a shocking revelation for poor Naruto regarding what's happened to him. That may just send our favorite blond over the edge...**

**ALSO! My computer is down! BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH! I literally woke up this morning and it wouldn't work-whereas it was just FINE LAST NIGHT!? Anywho, I'm writing this from my stepdad's computer, so updates might be sporadic for a bit! Grrrrr...so angry right now! But hey, this is a nice looooong chapter, and we cover a lot of ground here! **

**Well...here ya go! =D Enjoy the humor! And we get to see some old fan favorites this chapter! One of which I'm sure you'll recognize...AND FAIR WARNING! An awful lot of nastly violence happens in this chapter! ITS ANOTHER LONG ONE! Hope you're ready for it! And remember, I own nothing!**

**...The first, to the extent of my knowledge, Naruto x Far Cry 3 crossover! Enjoy!**

_"There is a beauty in simplicity."_

_~The Hunter._

**Native**

_There you are._ Naruto grinned behind the mask, perfectly hidden within the dense foliage of the island. Blue eyes narrowed within the goggles, their refractive surface filtering out the irritating glare of the morning sun, as well as any potential light that could spoil the shot he was about to take. His stomach grumbled quietly as he rose from his pointed crouch-the tiniest of sounds causing his lips to pinch in annoyance. A quiet chuckle graced his ears to the left, and just like that, the smile returned. However much he might dislike it, he was still a slave to his flesh when it came to base things such as hunger and thirst. But not for much longer.

"Hello, breakfast."

He drew the recurve bow from his back in a single fluid motion, planced an arrow in its quiver, and let all the world fall away into early morning light of the rising sun. There was no hesitation, no lingering on his thoughts of the young woman watching his every move. The bow was an extension of himself, and he was it. There was no Naruto. There was no bow. No target. No prey. Only the arrow in his hand, drawn tight against this string. The hammering of his heart in his ears. He let his world recede further still until there was only the target, only his will. Nothing more, nothing less.

_Gotcha._

Having achieved his pefect state of focus with that in mind, as always, the hunter releasd the tension in his arm and let that arrow fly. It arced straight and true, whistling forward through the air to land dead center in the middle of a target with a solid thud. Caught unawares, the buck never had a chance. No sooner did the deer realize it had been shot than it was dead - the arrow taking it straight through the heart. Startled by his sudden demise, the rest of the herd scattered, bounding away and into the forest. Naruto let them go. He had what he wanted. It was a clean shot. His best yet.

_Perfect._ As always. He admired his handiwork for a long moment, taking pride in his flawless accuracy. None could match him with a bow. None. But he digressed.

Breaking from cover, he stormed down the hill and vaulted toward his prey. His haste was well warranted, so too was the swiftness with which he began to clean and skin his killl. Rook Islands were home to all manner of powerful predators, be they panther or leopard or even a bear. They would smell the blood in the air and come for miles around. Come to think of it, there were komodo dragons in this area, too...even with his fierce regeneration it was a bitch and a half to fight an infection from one of those.

"Wow." he didn't look up as a female voice sounded in his ear. Didn't blink as someone knelt next to him, didn't flinch as a knife flashed in the morning light and slammed into the deer, helping him to skin it. "You don't dissapoint, do you?"

Finally he turned, glancing into the face of his companion-tearing the knife from the deer open stomach. A tiny fleck of blood flew from the weapon to spatter her cheek. He was pleased to see that she didn't flinch. Not even a little.

"I try not to."

Liza Snow had changed. It wasn't much mind you, just enough to arouse his interest. Her jacket had been sacrificed to the swelting heat, and humidity of the island, exposing her newly-tanned shoulders to the blazing sun. Caramel - colored hair had been released from its bun, left to spillls down her neck and tickle at the edge of her shoulders. Dark eyes glinted at him in blatance defiance, as though she were just waiting for him to protest; to say that she shouldn't be out here, shouldn't be testing her newly healed wounds. Coupled with her green tank top, she was a thing of beauty, her midriff temptingly bare.

There were no more bandages to hide her from him. Nothing to shelter those slender hips or breasts beyond what little she wore; and he could see the beginnings of muscle beginning to bud on her skin.

Naruto felt his mouth run momentarily dry. _Beautiful._ Was the first thought conjured up by his mind. Not quite a warrior, but at the same time, she wasn't that frightened young woman he'd plucked out of the jungle and hidden from Vaas not so long ago. She was becoming something...more. Something standing at the precipiece; all she needed now, was someone to push her over the edge. That would've been an easy task, but Naruto restrained himself. The time would come in due course, he told himself. Still, it was tempting.

_So tempting..._

"Well, I guess that's it for today."

"Oh? Whoever said we're done yet, love?" Smirking, the hunter turned and offered Liza said bow, lips quirking in a minute smile as he handed her the weapon. She was no stranger with it; these last few days had been spent practicing the art. Learning. Training. Honing her skills.

"Ha?"

"Your turn." shaking himself, he pushed the bow towards her. She balked, to which his smug smil only broadened. "Take a shot."

"At what?" she gestured to the freshly skinned corpse. "The deer? It'll ruin the meat."

As she looked on, his expression darkened.

"Not the deer."

"Then what? There's nothing to shoot_-hey?!"_

**"Gwoah!"**

It all happened so fast-at least for Liza. One moment Naruto had been beside her and the next, he gave a jarring shove. Scarce had she done so than something large and furry and positively _masssive_ came thundering through the space she'd just occupied; roaring its fury as it thundered into the blond, jarring him down onto the ground. Brown eyes bulged in disbelief. It was a bear. _A godamn bear!_ Easily larger than both of them, as heavy as a two ton boulder, attracted to the scent of blood in the jungle. And very, very, _very _hungry. Had to be the largest thing she'd ever seen. And now...it was trying to eat Naruto. As she looked on, it managed to sink its fangs into his arm. There was no bloody, only the rending of leathers and furs. Naruto snarled and punched the beast in the snout, forcing it to flinch.

_"Shoot it!" _He roared, thrashing around to protect his head. "I don't feel like playing patty-cake with this damn thing!"

"I'm trying!" she cried!

"Try harder!"

Her arrow flew half a second later, missing by a wide mark. Naruto's swear told her that moment of inaccuracy was not appreciated.

_"LIZA!"_

"Sorry!"

Hysterical hands fumbled fruitlessly with the bow as Naruto grappled with the predator, writhing out from beneath the bear's crushing paws just long enough to pull a knife. Cold steel flashed furiously in the dim lighting like congealed lightning, lancing up bury itself in the brute's shoulder. It roared and swatted him in the face, claws raking across his whiskered visage. Naruto growled and retaliated with a shove. _Hard._ In an instant the bear was off him and on the ground. Part of her marveled at the display of raw strength; wrestling down a panther was one thing, but manhandling a bear?! _Just how strong was he?!_

"Alright, fuzzy." a low growl ripped through the air. "My turn-

_Thunk._

His words trailed off as an arrow burrowed deep into the beast's eye-sinking into its brain-killing it almost instantly. The brutal black beast twitched once as it collapsed to the forest, its fur rippling as its muscles gave a final death spasm. And then it went still. It was a perfect shot. Liza lowered her bow, gasping harshly. Her lungs burned with the exertion; every breath was a fight for survival. She didn't even know how she had taken the shot in the first place. Only that she had. Her legs gave out beneath her, all the strength drained from her limbs. Naruto's whoop brought her back to the present.

"That was...perfect!"

She managed a weak smile and risked a glance down at the bear as he moved towards her. Half of his leather sleeve had been torn away during the scuffle, but beyond, that he seemed no worse for the wear. He came closer and confidently sat down beside her, smelling faintly of sweat and blood as he gave her a cheeky grin, "Do you want help stripping that down?"

Liza frowned thoughtfully back, "That sounds suspiciously like a proposition."

"I was talking about the bear."

Her stare persisted.

"What? Me? Proposition you? _Never_!" Naruto gave her an innocent look, but the sparkle in his eyes betrayed him and Liza shook her head at his flirting. She'd be lying if she said she didn't think of him as handsome. He was certainly capable. A good heat on his shoulders, too...unlike Jason. Jason. As ever, her thoughts veered in a painful direction when she thought of him. Was he alive? Was he still imprisoned with the others? Most of her time since her escape had been spent recovering from her wounds and honing her skills; Naruto had been steadfast in his insistence that she heal before they went looking for her friends. But now that she finally had, maybe-

Something caught her eye and killed that thought dead.

"What's that on your arm?"

Together they glanced down at his bare limb. His arm was covered in a lone band. It was faint and faded, but somehow, _someway _it radiated power. Without thinking, her hand trailed across the muscle, ghosting upon its surface. Funny, she had the distinct feeling she'd seen it somewhere before...

Naruto glanced at her, his eyes hard. "Its...something from my past." His tone warned her against travelling down that path.

"Oh. Well-

"Get down."

"Huh?"

_"I said get down!"_

Once more she cried out, this time as he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her back into the cover of the ferns. A hand tilted her head to the east.

"Look."

Liza followed his gaze, and her heart skipped a beat. She saw a familiar red shirt and bandana in the brush. His dark skin stuck out even in the thin, filtered light of the branches...as did the AK-47 cradled loosely in his right hand. In the other, he clutched a radio, his free limb swinging gamely to and fro. He was approaching toward their position from the south -mutttering about the intense heat- all the while blissfully unaware of the deer that had been skinned only a few feet away. A tense silence passed between them, to which the she ducked her head deeper into the brush. But she'd still seen him. And her heart skipped a beat.

_Pirate._

"Take him out." Naruto's voice hissed into her ear.

The American inadvertantly bristled at that familiar tone, her gaze sweeping away from the sea of jungle and ferns and back toward Naruto, as she heard those words. Uh-oh. He was smiling. Her shoulder brushed him in passing, her thigh nigh but grazing his as she reflexively shrank back from the bow. She'd fired it before, but, never used one to take a life. Never, fired a gun. There was something about the brutality of the gesture, the closeness of one to death when you took a life, that made her heart wrench and her stomach clench. He couldn't! He wouldn't! Ah, but he would.

"N-No." she jerked back when he tried to press it into her hands. "Naruto...I can't do it."

"Yes, you can." he pushed the bow at her. "If you're going to survive out here, you need to learn to do more than just hunt your own food. You need to learn to defend yourself. You've come far. Don't back out on me now."

Liza met those sapphire blue eyes in battle. "I _said_ no!

Naruto cocked his head and smiled playfully. "I wasn't asking, Liza." There was a madness in that smile that set her on edge. It wasn't like the insanity she'd seen in Vaas; it was worse. Subtle, so subtle she might not have seen it. The small things you didn't notice, the tiny changes, were the ones that killed you. Naruto killed animals for food and wore their skin for clothes, that she could accept. That she could _do._ But killing a man in cold blood, only because he _might _pose a threat...even if it was a pirate, she didn't think she could do it.

"I...

"He's going to give away our positon." his tone was maddeningly calm. "Shoot him before he discovers the bear."

"NO!" Liza hissed sternly, raising both her eyebrows to convey her seriousness.

"It'll be fuuuuun," Naruto sing-songed, moving closer, cajoling. "Think about it. Don't you want to make them pay for what they did to you?"

"Yes! No! I don't know!" her hands curled into fists at her side and grabbed at her head, her eyes rolled shut, reacting to her stress. "It'll be awful! Do it without me!"

"Take the bow, Liza."

An agonizing choice lay before her. She could refuse the bow, and remain a coward content to be protected by others...or she could take it, and in doing so take her own life into her hands. Walk a razor's edge between humanity, and savagery. It was a decision that would shape her life in the coming days. It was a choice. He couldn't do it for her. She had to make it on her own.

_She took the bow._

"Good girl." Naruto was suddenly behind her, his arms guiding her through the motions. "Now, concentrate. Focus. Line up the shot...

Liza gulped. She drew the strings taut, sighted down on her target, pulled on the string a tad more tightly than was necessary, and let the arrow fly. It all happened so swiftly. One moment the arrow was drawn back; and in the next hearbeat it slammed forward, piercing through the undergrowth, steaking wildly towards its target. For a terrifying instant, she thought she was going to miss. Then, incredibly, the pirate stepped right into the shot;the arrow didn't slow in the slightest, piercing the branches ahead of their cover, streaking across the jungle in a black blur until-

"Oh, fuck me!"

Somewhere in the darkest part of her soul, she delighted at the cry; just as the arrow wedged itself firmly into the pirate's knee. The man yelped and dropped like a stone, clutching at his leg. A tiny trill of disbelief left her lips. She'd shot him. She'd actually _shot the bastard._

But Liza didn't stop there. Almost before she knew what was happening, what she was truly doing, she'd notched another arrow. Her eyes narrowed and her fingerslet it fly. This one nailed him squarely in the neck, an unseen bolt strangling his cry for help. A third and final arrow pierced his wrist and drilled it to the floor-preventing him from attempting to call his companions. There was a silence. Liza exhaled harshly, the adrenaline fading from her veins, leaving her gasping softly.

"Holy_...fuck."_

Without thinking, she scrambled out of the brush. Her arms and legs moved numbly, carrying her forward towards the corpse. Because it was just that. A corpse. She was dimly aware of Naruto following behind, but he seemed content to let her go about her business. Resolute, she fought to ginore him. With trembling fingers she plucked the radio from the dead pirate's grasp and stowed it onto her belt. She'd killed him. Her first real kill of a human being. It was...crap. The vomit was violently unexpected. Her stomach tossed up the contensts of last night's meal-a porridge of some kind that Naruto had cooked up, not yet trusting her with solid food until she was well enough to eat on her own.

"I shot the hell out of that guy, huh?" she murmurred to herself. She could feel his gaze on her.

"That you did."

Then the realization dawned on her. "Why did you make me do that?! I didn't have to kill him." she gave him a hard shove. It was like hitting a brick wall. Naruto barely moved. And then he spoke.

"Yes, you did."

"Why?!"

"Stephen King once wrote that "Nightmares exist outside of logic, and there's little fun to be had in explanations; they're antithetical to the poetry of fear." He gave her a look. "You can never know the "why" of a story, not truly. Only the how. If you stop to think about why you're doing something, you hesitate. Hesitate, and...you die. Make no mistake-that man would not have hesitated to shoot you or worse, were the circumstances reversed." a booted foot nudged the man away into the undergrowth. "Don't neglect his death simply because you don't like it. You'll grow used to it in time. Now, lets see what he has on him, shall we?"

Rifling through his meager possessions turned up a few dollars, an old gum wrapper, and of course, the gun itself. Naurto eyed it with disdain and tried to kick it away into the underbrush. Liza noticed.

_"You don't use guns?"_

Naruto blinked, shaking his head. "Not really, no. They are an unsightly weapon. I haven't fired one in ages."

"You shouldn't neglect something just because you don't like it." she said back at him. She felt a tiny touch of triumph at his sour expression.

He snorted. "Turning my own words against me. Clever." His sapphiric gaze strayed back to the discarded weapon. But perhaps...

A shinobi was supposed to use whatever tools were handy; in rejecting the applications of firearms he was, by definition, limiting himself. What good were clones when a single bullet was enough to dispel them? And it wasn't as if he could use Kurama anymore. The chakra had been lost to him a long time ago during his final battle with Sasuke. He still lived because of his Uzumaki heritage-and likely thanks to the eldritch forces that had first catapaulted him and _her _here all those years ago.

He didn't want to think that the Rook Islands might be all that was left of the Elemental Nations, but after their earthshaking battle, it was a very real possibility. Their fight had split the land in twine; who knew what it must've wrought this far into the future?

Oh, the irony of it all.

"...perhaps you're right." he mused, scooping up the machine gun. He'd known how to use one for some time-he'd simply chosen not to after the...incident. But if he was planning on wresting the island away from Vaas and Hoyt, he'd need to take up arms all over again. Shake off his complacency and wade back into the fray. But in order to do that, he'd need to see someone.

He needed to visit an old friend.

* * *

><p>Gaining access to the temple was simple enough; the Rakyat still worshipped him from his exploits. He was a legend to them. A faded one, but a legend nonetheless. The great stone doors parted without so much as an utterance, permitting him passage. Liza was forced to wait outside, under heavy guard. He doubted she could do much damage, but bid her stay anyway. Their journey had taken most of the day, now, with nothing but the stars left for light.<p>

The path leading inward was a familiar one, the stairs flanking him with their flames, casting ghoulish shadows on the stone steps and walls. He'd traveled it many times before when he'd first come here. The difference now was that he did so alone. _She_ was no longer beside him. He suddenly felt weary at the thought, ascending the last step and into the courtyard. More fires flickered here, guards watching warily at the prescence of a spectre like him. He almost found the thought funny.

"My friend!"

"Dennis!" Naruto turned at the sound of an accented voice, just in time to find himself wrapped in a great big hug. Strong arms instinctively moved to return the gesture. Before finding Liza his only physical contact had been with Vaas, when the madman occassionally saw fit to mess with him. It felt...had been ages since he'd simply enjoyed saying hello to someone without worrying about them stabbing him in the back. After a brief laugh the two men pulled away.

"It is good to see you again."

"As I, you. Is Citra here?"

A strange expression clouded the african's face, an emotion Naruto couldn't quite read. Whatever it was it proved fleeting, gone before he could truly grasp its meaning.

"You may speak with her." he gestured aways past him "I am certain she is as anxious to see you as I."

Naruto spared a friendly glower at Dennis before turning his attention to where Citra no doubted awaited in the distance, expaseration coloring his features. He was painfully aware of the guns of her guards watching him anxiously, trained on him and ready to fire. It would be child's play to use substitution and escape the many bullets they could bring to bear on him; but he wasn't here for violence. He was here to talk. To speak with her, the leader of the Rakyat. It galled him to admit it, but he couldn't very well take on an island alone or by himself. He needed help. Help only she could provide.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. "Maybe I really **am** insane."

And he stepped forward.

There she was.

Her bright eyes lit up as he stepped through the doorframe, her gorgeous white grin streaking across her mouth as she stood and ran to him like a child welcoming her father home from a long business trip. He could only stand dumbfounded as her lithe form slid gracefully across the courtyard to meet him. Had she always been so beautiful? Why had he never noticed that his ally was this sexy, caramel - skinned woman? Had the past three years changed her? Sure her hair had grown out a little, but she otherwise looked the same as she always had.

Except drop-dead gorgeous.

She wrapped her arms around his neck with a squeal. Still in his state of shock, it took Naruto a moment to react and place his own arms around the thin waist of his fellow exile. He buried his face in her neck, enjoying the warmth of her dark skin on his cheeks and the smell of her hair in his nostrils. He felt her arms tighten around him and her breathing hastening, her breasts heaving up and down against his chest. How many years had it been since he embraced such a beautiful goddes? Because she certain was one. He had to wrench his mind out of the thought. It felt traitorous to _her,_ even after all these years.

"Citra, I-

She hushed him.

After almost a full sixty seconds, they finally pulled away from one another, his light blue eyes looking deeply into hers. She wore a subtle expression of amusement in her eye as she returned his gaze, that grin turning slightly devious as she leaned away, gently distancing herself from him. Her full lips quirked in a slight, joyous smile as her eyes danced over him-

-and then her lips found his.

His mind exploded into white as his arms took control, spreading themselves across her back. He was so completely taken aback by her kiss, by the intimacy of an act he had felt for more than a thousand days, that he hardly noticed when his left hand began to cup her firm ass and his right palm took up residence on her jaw. He deepened the kiss as he pressed his body against hers, pushing her back against the nearest wall. Her hands were just as explorative, her nimble fingertips running along his chest and stomach-

Stop!

With a shudder, he shook himself back to his senses as she drew away for a second time. Physically he clamped down on his muscles, steeling himself from moving to claim what could have so very easily been his. The taste of her still lingered in his mouth. Tempting.

"Our warrior returns to us at last." her honeyed voice sent a slight shiver shooting down his spine, coupled with a frown as her fingertips trailed his cheek. "How long has it been?"

Naruto swallowed. The words tasted like ash in his throat.

_"Three years."_

**A/N: And there we go! Naruto and Vass have a strange sort of friendship; they've both killed and they're EACH off their rocker...though Naruto is admittedly a little more sane in this story than our favorite psycopath. I'm not quite sure what the pairings will be by the end. NarutoxCitra? We know SHE'S all kinds of crazy if you chose her ending, eh? I'll have to do something about that. Still if ya'll have any ideas for the pairing, feel free to toss them at me. We delve into Naruto's past, next chappy!**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review...Would You Kindly? Unless you'd like to take it up with Vass? I know I wouldn't! And of course, enjoy the preview! Insanity incoming!**

**(Preview)**

_"Tell me where that little shit Brody is, or I WILL CHOP OFF HER BLOODY HEAD!"_

_Naruto couldn't hold it back any longer. The madness -the power- was suddenly there, flowing in every cell, swelling in his every pore. He shouldn't find it funny; Liza was going to die soon if he didn't do something and yet, despite the threat of her imminent demise dangling over his head he somehow found the situation...funny! Citra's words echoed somewhere in the back of his head._

_"There is an animal within you, warrior." her voice tickled the nape of his neck. "When will you let it out?"_

_ ...heh." He began to chuckle; slowly, softly at first, then louder - a deep, throaty sound. Filling the room with madness and mirth as he tossed his head back. And then it stopped, leaving only echoes. Then, not even that. The silence, Hoyt thought, was eerie. That shaggy mop of blond hair gave a lurch and slumped forward, chin slamming into his chest. He lay there like that for a long moment, his chest still convulsing with quiet, muted laughter from his shackled place in the chair. Liza looked at him aghast from her own chair. Gagged though she was, she still managed a tiny sound of worry, dark eyes bulging as the blond continued to twitch._

_Hoyt snarled. __Unbidden, the man's eye flashed to the tattoos marring his right arm, the intricate ink that sheathed the limb almost to the elbow. Were they glowing, somehow, he wondered?_

_"What's so godamn funny?!"_

_"Oh, Hoyt," the shinobi purred," When will you realize the truth? I'm not locked in here with you and your men..._

_...you're locked in here with me!"_

_There was another silence, this one an eternity longer than the last. Then the slaver stepped forward and slammed the butt of his rifle into the man's face. Blood spurted. Naruto jerked and stopped laughing. But even this reprieve was only temporary._

_When he finally raised his head it was by degrees. Sapphire eyes flashed menacingly in murky light of the chamber, staining a sinister saffron. Orange crested the edges of his eyes, those sick, slanted pupils regarding him as though he were naught but a dust mote-a gnat in his eye. He was smiling, lips curling back to expose pearly white teeth._

_"Did you ever consider," he continued amicably, "That I might want to be captured? Now I know where Lisa is. Which means," His arms flexed once, and the chains binding him strained. "I no longer have any need for these...trappings." Another flex. Hoyt stepped backwards, a snake of dread coiling in his gut. No. He couldn't possibly-_

_Snap! The sundered links fell to the floor, clattering loudly _

_And then all hell broke loose._

**R&R!**


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